Sewing-machine.



J. G. RINGE.

SEWING MADHINE. APPLIOATIOH FILED DBO. 30, 1907.

1,005,881, Patented 0615.17, 1911'.

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ATTORNEY.

APPLIOATIGN FILED DEO. 30, 1907.

ATTORNEY.

vJ. o. RINGE. -SEWING MACHINE. PPLIUATIOB FILED DBO. 80, 1907. Patented 001. 17,1911.

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WITNESSES.-

Jo HN (1F/NGE t v A I'TORJYE J. G. RINGE.

SEWING MACHINE.

` Arrmqnron :funn mxo. ao, 1907.

Patented 0cm?, 1911.

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Patented oct, 17, 1911.

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JNVENTOR. Joa/vd RINGE J C RINGE SEWING MACHINE. nrnrou'xon num nso. so. 19o?.

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ATTORNEY.

J. C. RINGE.

SEWING MAUHINE.

APPLIOATION IILBD DBO. 30, 1907. Oct. 17

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ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES JOHN C. RINGE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT,

ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SEWIN G-MACHIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

Application led December 30, 1907. Serial No. 408,500.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jol-1N C. RINGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to machines employed for sewing sweat bands into hats, but has a general application to productions wherein an overlying portion of material makes it impracticable to employ a needle and needle-carrying bar having vertical movements in the saine vertical plane as in the construction of sewing machines for general use.

The invention consists, fundamentally, in mounting the needle and needle-carrying bar so that their movements to form stitches will be in a direction oblique to the plane of the material being acted upon, and to control the needle actuation, relatively `to the Vfeed movements of the material, so as to etl'ect alternating long and short stitches Without changing the amplitude of the feed movements. These improvements, in connection with others, cons1st of the novel cibnstruction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed. 4

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in the several iigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a view in front side elevation, partially in section, of a sewing machine employing my improved mechanism. Fig. 2 is a front end elevation, the swinging head of the overhanging arm being shown both in full and in dottedlines,

the latter showing the head adjusted out of operative position to better accommodate the removal of the work from stitching position. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line A-B, Fig. 1, the lower stitch forming mechanism being omitted to better illustrate the means employed for feeding the material and for controlling the action and inaction of the needle-carrying bar. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the sewing machine cylinder or lower arm. Fig. 5 is a view, in perspective, of the front end of the thrust rod provided with the adjustable screw which coacts with certain inclines, later to be referred to, for determining the action and inaction of the needle-bar. Fig. 6 illustrates the means employed for holding the feed wheel against reverse rotation. Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal section of the swinging head and a portion of the overhanging arm, together with full line views of certain parts directly connected with said head and arm. Fig. 8 is a view partially in section and partially in full lines of the swinging head, looking in the direction of the rear side of the arm. Fig. 9 is a view in cross section, substantially on the line C-D of Figs. 7- and 8. Fig. 10 is a rear side elevation of a portion of the arm standard and overhangin arm, together with a portion of the nee le-bar rock shaft and parts carried by said shaft for controlling the action and inaction of the needle-carrying bar. Fig. 11 is a view, partially in section, of the principal elements shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a view in section on the line EF, Fig. 10. Fig. 13 is a view of the seam effected by my improved device, illustrating the comparative lengths of the stitches.

2 is the sewing machine cylinder or worksupport, 4 the base, 6 the arm standard, S the overhanging arm, 10 the swinging head and 12 the frame base.

14 is the main driving shaft journalecl in bearings 16 and 18 formed in the cylinder and arm standard, respectively, and provided at its outer end with the usual band wheel 20, its inner end carrying a flange 22 which is operatively connected by a link 24 to the crank 26, the latter being secured upon the shaft 28 which acts to drive the looptaker 30, thus transmitting from the mam shaft 14 to said loo -taker rotary movements of variable spee, as is common in the construction of sewing machines commercially known as Wheeler & Wilson.

32 is the bobbin case rovided with the usual bobbin (not shown) and mounted in the loop-taker in a manner common to sewing machines generally, said loop-taker being mounted to rotate in a race-way 34 secured by suitable screws, as 35, to the cylinder 2 and held against accidental displacement by a suitably secured cap 36.

38 is an eccentric strap whlch at one end encircles an eccentric 40 which, in turn, is secured by a screw 42 to the main shaft 14, the opposite end of said strap being pivoted l by a stud screw 44 to an arm 46 of a sleeve 48, said sleeve being mounted on a bushing 50 secured by a screw 52 in the hub 54 of the standard 6.

56 is the needle-bar rock-shaft journaled at one end in the bushing 50, its opposite end being journaled in a bearing 58 formed in the overhanging arm, said shaft being slightly reduced in diameter' between the points 60 and 62. The rock-shaft 56 has formed integral with it at its forward end a yoke consisting of the extended portion 64 and arms 66 and 68, and between said arms is pivotally mounted, by a pivot pin 70, a two-part connection comprising the parts 72 and 74 operatively connected by a pivot screw 76, which )ermits the part 74 to be slightly rocked or a purpose later to be explained. That the parts 72 and 74 may be held in proper alinement, the upper part 72 is lnounted in a groove 78 formed in the part 74.

It will be readily understood that owing to the extension 86 of the collar 84 being carried by an element (80) mounted to lnove in a plane oblique to the axis of oscillation of the two-part connection 72 and 74, said extension is moved for a considerable portion of its length in the opening 88 formed in the element 74, and owing to the element S0 being mounted in bearings formed in the swinging head 10 and the two-part connection deriving its movements from the shaft 56 mounted in the stationary overhanging arm, it would be impracticable to operatively connect the needle-bar driving mechanism with said extension, unless there was provided means for overcoming the discrepancies incident to the construction and assembling of a multiple of parts, the movements of some of which are in diverging direction.

80 is the needle-carrying bar provided with the usual eye pointed needle 82 and carrying a needle-bar guide collar 84 secured to it by screw 85, said collar having an extension 86 which extends into an opening 88 formed in the section 74 of the two-part connection, said part 74 `being pro-vided with a roller 90 which tracks in a groove 92 formed in the swinging head.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when rocking movements are given the shaft 56, motion is transmitted to the needle-carrying bar through the connections previously pointed out, and as said bar is moved in o posite directions obliquely to the plane o the material, the extension 86 is moved in opposite directions in the opening 88. The roller 90 tracking the groove 92 acts, through the extension 86 and collar 84, to prevent the needle-carrying bar from turning upon its axis, the pivot screw 76 ermitting rocking movements of the part 4, thus insuring unobstructed sliding movements of the extension 86.

The swinging head 10 has formed integral with it a hub which acts as a fulcrum for said head and consists of the circular sections $14, 96, 98 and 100, said hub being journalcd in suitable bearings 102 formed in the overhanging arm and held against endwise movement by a collar 104 and screw 106.

106 is a friction block held by a spring 11() against the periphery of the reduced section 96, the tension of said spring being governed by an adjusting screw 112 threaded into the overhanging arm, said friction device acting to hold the swinging head against accidental movement when adjusted to its inoperative position, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2.

114 is the presser-bar, the lower end of which is mounted to slide in a bearing 116 secured by screw 118 in the swinging head 10, the opposite end of said bar entering the lower end of the hollow adjusting screw 120, which latter is threaded into the swinging head.

122 is a spring plunger the upper end of which rests against the inner surface of the closed end 124 of the screw 120, its opposite end pressing against the upper end of a spring 126 mounted in the hollow portion 128 of the presser-bar, thus holding the cloth-presser 130, secured to said bar by screw 132, down upon the material except when actuated by the presser lifter lever 134 acting upori the presser lifter collar 136, which latter is secured by screw 138 to said bar 114.

139 is a pinch collar secured by a screw 141 to the presser-bar 114, said collar being provided with a slot 143, the inner walls 145, 145 of which embrace the flat surfaces 147 of the bushing 149 secured by screw 151 in the overhanging arm, said bushing acting as the upper bearing for the needle-bar, and said collar acting to secure said presser-bar against axial movement.

140 is a lock bar mounted in bearings 142, 144 and 146 forming a part of the swinging head, said bar at its inner end being provided with a tapered portion 148 which, when occupying its normal position, is seated in a corresponding opening 150 formed in the end of the overhanging arm, the opposite end of said rod being acted upon by a spring 152 to hold said rod in its normal or locked position, the torsion of said spring being cont-rolled by an adjusting screw 154 threaded into the bearing 142.

156 is a pinch collar secured upon the presser-bar by a screw 158 and provided with an upwardly extended portion 160 which, at its free end, is constructed with a bevel portion 162. The portion 162 when raised by the upward movements of the presser-bar, coacts with a notch 164 formed in the lock bar 140 and, in opposition to the resiliency of the spring 152, withdraws the tapered portion 148 from its seat 150, thus leaving the swinging head free to be ad justed to its inoperatlve position, the return of said head, together with the lowering of the presser-bar, again locking said head in its operative position. To prevent the shaft 56 from interfering with the adjustment of the swinging head 10, a circular opening 166 is formed in the wall 168 of said head, said opening being of sufficient length to permit the head to be swung through the required number of degrees.

167 is a bracket secured by screws 171 (one only of which is shown) to the overhanging arm and provided with lugs 173, 173 which coact with an adjustable stop 175 secured by screws 177 (one only of which is shown) to the swinging head, thus limiting the swinging movements of said head by the free end of the stop 175 contacting with the oppositely arranged lugs 173, 173. The bracket 167 and stop 175 are constructed and mounted the same as the bracket 114 and stop 116 illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No. 822,135, dated May 29, 1906, to A. Laubscher.

170 is a tension release lever pivoted by screw 172 to the swinging head, its lower end coaoting with a notch 174 formed in the lock bar 140, and as said lock bar is moved b the action of the extension 160 the lever 17,0 is rocked, causing the beveled portion 176 to act upon the release rod 178 and move the tension disk 180 in opposition to the resiliency of the spring 182, thus permitting the thread tension Wheel 184 to be'released froln the pressure of said springt Aside from the employment of the locking lever for operating the tension releasing lever, the means herein employed for releasing the tension is the same as is common to earlier forms of construction; and the same is true of the take-up cam 186 and the take-up 188 and their relationship to the stitch-forming mechanism.

190 is the rotary feed Wheel mounted to turn in a frame 192, which latter is secured by screw 194 in the front end of the cylinder 2, the screw 194 passing through a pinch bearing made adjustable by a pinch screw 196.

198 and 200 represent adjusting screws provided with lock nuts 202 and 204, respectively, said screws being located on opposite sidesof the screw 194 and acting to secure the frame 192 against accidental movement on the pivot screw 194.

The inner beveled surface of the feed wheel 190 is provided with ratchet teeth 206 which are acted upon by a pawl 208 pivoted to an arm 210 which is made integral with a feed rock-shaft 212. The rock-shaft 212 is journaled in bearings 214 and 216 formed in the cylinder 2 and standard 6, respectively, and at its rear end is provided with a connection 218 which coacts with a feed cam 220 fast on the main shaft 14, the pawl 208 being resiliently held in operative relationship with the ratchet teeth 206 by a spring 222 secured to the arm 210 by a screw 224 and pin 226, thus transmitting to the feed wheel movements for advancing the material under the needle.

228 is a clutch pawl provided with oppositely arranged Walls 230 and 232 between which the flange 234 of the feed wheel 190 rotates, said pawl being mounted in a groove 236 formed in the frame 192 and held at an angle to said groove by a spring 238, the adjustment of which latter is controlled by a screw 240. The function of the pawl 228 is to prevent backward rotation of the 'feed wheel when the pawl 208 is returned to its operative position relatively to the ratchet teeth 206.

241 is the throat-plate secured by screws 243, 243 to the forward end of the cylinder 2.

242 is a rocking connection pivoted at 244 to a lug 246, which latter forms a part of the arm standard 6, the lower end of said connection being operatively connected, by a link 248, with a thrust rod 250, which latter is mounted in bearings 252 and 254 formed in the cylinder 2, the opposite end of the connection 242 being provided with an arcuate slot 256 for a purpose presently to be explained.

258 is a collar secured by a screw 260 to the rock-shaft 56 and provided with oppositely arranged arms 262 and 264. The arm 264 is provided with an opening 266 through which extends a sliding bolt 268, the opposite end of which latter extends through the slot 256. The bolt 268 is provided with two enlarged annular portions 270 and 272 located on opposite sides of the slot 256, thus preventing longitudinal movement of the bolt 268 in said slot but permitting it to be moved bodily in the direction of the length of the slot.

274 is an annular ring secured to the flange 234 of the feed wheel 190, said ring being provided with cam sections 276 of the ratio of one to tive of the teeth 206. Into the end of the rod 250 is threaded a screw 278 which is held against accidental adjustment by a nut 280, the outer end of said screw comprising a bevel portion 282 which coacts with the cam sections 276.

Upon the rod 250 is mounted a spring 286 one end of which rests against the lug 288. The opposite end of the spring 286 rests against an adjustable collar 290 secured by screw 292 to the rod 250, said spring acting to hold the beveled end of the screw 278 in ccntact with the cam sections 276. Se cured to the rod 250 by a screw 296 is a collar 294 which, in connection with the lug 298, acts to limit the movement of said rod in the direction of the ring 274 so that the extreme end of the screw 278 will just clear the bottom wall 300 of the cam sections 276.

302 is an arm formed integral with the sleeve 48 and provided with an opening 304 into which the sliding lock bolt 268 is automatically thrust, through the connections previously pointed out, by the action of the beveled portions 284 upon the beveled portion 282 of the screw 278.

From the foregoing it is to be understood that when the thrust rod 250 is moved, in opposition to the resiliency of the spring 286, by one of the inclines 284 of the cam sections 276 acting upon the end of the screw 278, the rocking connection 242 is moved to withdraw the locking bolt 268 out of engagement with the arm 302 of the sleeve 48, thus discontinuing the transmission of power from the eccentric 40 to the rockshaft 56, and leaving the needle-bar at rest until the stepbystep rotary movement of the annular ring 274 will permit the spring 286 to again return said bolt to its operative position relatively to the arm 302.

In the operation of the machine the stitch 308 is first formed, then there is a feed movement 310 followed by the formation of the stitch 312, during which time the lock bolt 268 is held, by the spring 286, in engagement with the arm 302; but at the completion of stitch 312 one of the bevels 284 acts upon the end of the screw 278 and, through the connections previously pointed out, withdraws the bolt 268 out of engagement with the arm 302 and retains said bolt in such position until one of the horizontalg walls 314 of the cam sections 276 passes the end of the screw 278, during which time the material has been advanced four feed movements, when the needle-bar is again brought into action, thus effecting a seam consisting of comparatively long and short stitches.

316 is a spring washer encircling the shaft 56 and located between a collar 318, secured by screw 320 upon said shaft, and the outer end of the bearing 54, said spring acting to slightly friction the rocking movements of said shaft, thus guarding against accidental movement of the needle-bar due to the operation of the machine. But if, from any cause, the needle-bar is moved downward while disconnected from its actuating mechanism, it will be automatically returned to its highest position by the inner end of the screw 322, secured in an arm 324 of the sleeve 48, contacting with the head of the screw 326 secured in the rock-shaft 56.

The unlocking of the bolt 268 relatively' to the arm 302 is timed so as to position the needle-bar at its limit of upward stroke; and to guard against said bar being accidentally moved beyond this point there is provided an adjusting screw 328, secured by a nut 330 in the arm standard, against which the arm 262 of the collar 258 registers.

332 is the face plate secured by screws 334 and 336 to the swinging head, 338 is the thread check, 340 the thread leader bracket and 342 the thread leader, all of which parts are of the usual construction.

344 is a screw threaded into the outer end of the rock-shaft 56 which, in connection with the collar 258, holds said shaft against movement in the direction of its length, except as permitted by the spring washer 316.

The relative length of the long and short stitches is determined by the ratio of the teeth 206 relatively to the cam sectionsl 27 6, and may be as herein pointed out or of any desired ratio.

What I claim is 1. In a sewing machine, a work-support, an overhanging arm provided with a swinging head, cloth-feeding and stitch-forming mechanisms, said stitch-forming mechanism including a needle-bar mounted in said swinging head and having reciprocatory movements in a plane inclined with respect to the plane of the swinging movements of said head, a needle-bar driving shaft mounted in said arm, and means for operatively connecting said needle-bar with said driving shaft including a two-part connection pivotally secured together upon an axis arranged transverse to the axis of their rocking movements.

2. In a sewing machine, a Work-support, an overhanging arm provided with a swinging head, cloth-feeding and stitch-forming mechanisms, said stitch-forming mechanism including a needle-bar driving shaft mounted in said arm, a needle-bar operatively connected with said shaft, a loop-taker mounted in said work-support and operatively connected with the main-driving shaft of the sewing machine, and connections for operatively connecting said shafts including an automatically controlled clutch mechanism for effecting and for discontinuing the transmission of power from said main shaft to said needle-bar driving shaft during the feeding operation.

3. In a sewing machine, a work-support, an overhanging arm provided with a head capable of swingin movements, a looptaker, a main shaft Journaled in said worksupport in driving relationship with said loop-taker, a needle bar driving shaft mounted in said arm, connections for operatively connecting said shafts, an intermittently-actuated needle-bar mounted in said head in driving relationship with said needle-bardriving shaft, Said needle-bar having reciprocatory movements in a plane inclined with respect to the plane of the swinging movements of said head, feeding mechanism, and means coasting with said feeding mechanism for automatically determining the time of action and inaction of said needle-bar relatively to the uninterrupted step-by-step movements of said feeding mechanism.

4. In a sewing machine, a Work-support, an overhanging arm provided with a head capable of swinging movements, a looptaker, a main shaft journaled in said Worksupport in driving relationship with said loop-taker, a needle-bardriving shaft mounted in said arm, connections for operatively connecting said shafts, a needlebar mounted in said head in driving relationship with said needle-bar-driving shaft, said driving means including a two-part connection pivotally secured together upon an axis arranged transversely of the axis of their rocking movements.

5. In a sewing machine, an overhanging arm provided with a swinging head, a needle-bar-actuating shaft mounted in said arm, a needle-bar mounted in said head capable of movements in a direction inclined to the plane of the swinging movements of said head, connections for operatively connecting said shaft with said needle-bar, a locking device for securing said head in sewing position, a needle-thread tension device carried by said head, and connections between said locking device and thread tension device for effecting the release of the tension on the needle-thread when said locking device is moved out of locking position.

6. In a sewing machine, a work-support, an overhanging arm provided with, a head capable of swinging movements, 'a looptaker, a main shaft journaled in said worksupport in driving relationship with said loop-taker, a needle-bar-drlving shaft mounted in said arm, connections for operatively connecting said shafts, a two-part connectlon, the parts comprising said connection being pivotally secured together upon an axis arranged transversely of the axis of their rocking movements, one of the parts of said link being operatively connected with the needle-bar-driving shaft, its coacting part being connected, through a sliding connection, with said needle-bar.

In a sewing machine, a work-support, an overhanging arm provided with a swinging head, stitch-forming and cloth-feeding mechanism including a loop-taker, a main shaft journaled in said work-support in driving relationship with said loop-taker, a needle-bar-drivinfg shaft mounted in said arm, connections or operatively connecting said shafts including automatically controlled clutch mechanism for effecting and for discontinuing the transmission of ower between said shafts, one member o said clutch mechanism being operatively connected with the main shaft of the sewing machine, its coacting member being carried by the needle-bar-driving shaft and operatively connected with the mechanism for feeding the material.

8. In a sewing machine, a work-support, an overhanging arm provided with a swinging head, stitch-forming and cloth-feeding mechanism including a needle-bar, a needlebar-actuating shaft and a main shaft, connections between said shafts including a clutch device, an annular ring provided with cam sections and operatively connected with the feeding mechanism, and connections between said ring and said clutch device for effecting intermittent action of the needlebar relatively to the uninterrupted step-bystep movements of said feeding mechanism for producing alternating long and short stitches, substantially as described.

9. In a sewing machine, a work-support, an overhanging arm provided with a swinging head, stitch-forming and cloth-feeding mechanism including a needle-bar, a needlebar-actuating shaft frictionally controlled against accidental movement when disconnected from its driving mechanism, and a main shaft, connections between said shafts including a clutch device, an annular ring provided with cam sections and operatively connected with the feeding mechanism, an connections between said ring and said clutch device for effecting intermittent action of the needle-bar relatively to the uninterrupted movements of said feeding mechanism for producing alternating long and short stitches, substantially as described.

10. In a sewing machine, a work-support, an overhanging arm provided with a swinging head, stitch-forming and cloth-feeding mechanism including a needle-bar, a needlebar-actuating shaft and a main shaft, connections between said shafts including a clutch device, an annular ring provided with cam sections and operatively connected with said feeding mechanism, and connections between said ring and said clutch device, said clutch device being provided with suitable coacting lugs for returning said needle-bar to its elevated position when for any reason it has been moved downwardly at such time as the needle-bar-driving shaft is disconnected from its actuating mechanism.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, this 26th day of December, A. D. 1907.

JOHN C. RINGE.

Witnesses:

ABBIE M. DoNIHEE, ALBERT K. WILLIAMS, Jr.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing' the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

